Media converter with integrated local information transmission function and fault alarm signal transmission system

Abstract

There is provided media converter having an integrated local information transmission function and a fault alarm signal communication system for transmitting local information using a frequency outside the communication frequency bands for data signals. In the subscriber's media converter, based on input local information, a control section sets a transmission frequency outside the communication frequency bands and outputs a signal instructing that a transmission be made. A media independent interface section receives this signal and transmits the signal in the instructed frequency. In the station media converter, a media independent interface section detects the frequency in which the local information is transmitted from the received signal. A control section then generates local information using the detected frequency and outputs it to an SNMP unit.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]The present invention relates to a media converter having an integrated local information transmission function and a fault alarm signal transmission system that enable the transmission of local information with matching media converters to be performed by using a frequency outside the data signal communication frequency band or by controlling the sending of transmission error signals.[0003]2. Description of the Related Art[0004]A media converter converts an Ethernet signal in 10 BASE-T or 100 BASE-TX formats, which are IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) 802.3 standards, that use twist pair cable into a signal that corresponds to a 100 BASE-FX format Ethernet that uses optical fiber. In many cases, a media converter is installed at both the subscriber's premises and the station premises and these are used by being matched to each other via a local area network (referred to below as a LAN). In a cas...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006]The present invention has been achieved in view of the above problems and it is an object thereof to provide a media converter having an integrated local information transmission function and a fault alarm signal transmission system that enable the transmission of local information relating to respective media converters to be performed using a simple structure by using a frequency outside the frequency band for data signal communication or by controlling the sending of transmission error signals.

[0012]According to the media converter provided with an integrated local information transmission function of the present invention, because it is possible to form a line for the exchange of local information and control signals without using an SNMP unit which has a complicated apparatus structure, the structure of the media converter can be simplified and the cost of the device can be reduced. Moreover, control of the media converter at the subscriber's premises becomes possible from the media converter at the station's premises. In addition, it becomes possible to set from the station side the communication mode and communication speed of the interface with the LAN of the subscriber media converter, which uses a twist pair cable, enabling the management of the network to be simplified.

[0014]According to the fault alarm signal transmission system of the present invention, because it is possible to form a line for sending important alarm signals such as those about power supply abnormalities without these going through the transmission-reception processing section or media independent interface section, fault diagnosis is simplified and circuit conservation is made easier.

Problems solved by technology

However, in this type of system of the related art in which the operating state of the subscriber's media converter is monitored using an SNMP unit, even when there is only a small amount of local information (here, the local information includes control signals, status information, and interference information including at least one of twist pair cable abnormality information and power source abnormality information) to be transmitted, because the SNMP unit is required on the subscriber's side, the problem has existed that the structure of the device is made more complicated and it has proved difficult hitherto to simplify the structure.

In addition, the problem has existed that it has been necessary for an IP (Internet Protocol) address to be allocated to all of the subscriber media converters in which an SNMP unit has been mounted thus causing the management to become extremely complex.

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